Second Star To The Right
by HandsAcrossTheSea
Summary: No, Hux does not wait up for Kylo late into the night, thinking into a glass of whiskey. Except that he does sometimes.


The Finalizer, for such a vast, crew-heavy ship, can be stunningly quiet at times. Sometimes the only sound is the distant rumble of the engines, and even then they are silent to Hux now; he's spent so much time aboard her that most of the time, he doesn't even notice.

All the better to still his thoughts; he's still waiting on a task force to return, one that was due back earlier that day. With that task force?

Kylo Ren.

Hux does not worry. Worry is an emotion that has no place in the First Order. Yet his patience – yes, patience – started to fray within an hour of the force's projected return time. Fine; it was a projection. Now the ship is mostly resting, and Hux could be the only person awake were it not for the third shift duty crews that he made sure were in place before he retired.

He sits in one of the viewports near his quarters, a glass of Corellian whiskey in his hand. It's Whyren's Reserve, the best in the galaxy. Yes, Corellia's political associations are ill-advised and her resources help the New Republic but there simply doesn't exist anything else like this anywhere else – Hux is big enough to admit that he won't find anything remotely near it in quality within the Order.

Hux takes another sip and holds it in his mouth, letting it burn for a moment, its edge dulling the edges of his nerves where they've become sharp to his mental touch. It takes him a while to swallow it, his eyes closed as the whiskey unwinds his mind.

He had tossed and turned for three hours before he'd finally given up, even tried to take care of some work; relief had not come to him, not even trying to watch a holo. No, what he missed – and still misses – is Kylo's presence in the bed beside him. Warm, surprisingly soft, the _only_ time that those terms could ever be applied to him. Hux had managed for the week he'd been gone but now…

Hux doesn't want to go back to his bed unless Kylo is there with him.

This… _relationship_ had become something much, much deeper in those hectic, trying months after Starkiller Base had been destroyed. Hux has always, _always_ been self-sufficient, able to hold himself and his command together without so much as a thought. And yet, Kylo… Kylo Ren has this effect on him. One that brings out long-dormant feelings of warmth, of attraction, things he had never _let_ himself feel.

And Kylo, who had nearly died in the aftermath… well, Hux still hasn't figured all of that out – but he does know that were it not for their connection, Kylo might be dead right now.

Another sip of brandy, and Hux reaches down to re-adjust the belt of his robe. It's cold here, especially next to the viewpoint, and he has no socks on. He'd forgotten them, more intent on pouring the liquor in the glass than anything

Intent on getting away from his empty bed.

Hux looks up and out of the transparisteel, and his eye catches movement. For a moment he thinks it's just the CAP, but this is too distant –

He's about to run to his quarters and sound for general quarters, but _something_ keeps him from doing so; it's just a feeling, but it might not be anything to worry about

Given that he hasn't been alerted, he decides to resume his place out at the window and wait, his whiskey still in hand. There are other ships out from the _Finalizer_ and they return at all times of day.

No alarm is forthcoming, and Hux relaxes a little more.

The whiskey works its magic and soon Hux is sitting with his feet up in the broad ledge of the window, his eyes half-closed as he watches the stars go by, the shadow of the moon they're orbiting blotting some of them out. He lets his mind wander, thinking of Kylo and the feeling of his body against his own, his heartbeat that seems to echo louder than when Hux has his ear to his chest – they all comfort him, and before long he's asleep, the glass and bottle of whiskey on the floor next to him.

 _"This doesn't look at all comfortable, General."_

Hux stirs, a firm grip on his shoulder shaking him awake. He's already preparing a reprimand for whomever has awakened him, and it's going to be one they don't forget; his neck hurts, he's missing his partner, his back is-

 _His partner._

Hux's eyes open further when he realizes that the person waking him up is Kylo, looking absolutely exhausted yet happy; his eyes are tired but warm, his mouth curling just barely into a smile.

"Lord Ren," Hux swings his feet out and rubs his eyes – warmth that has nothing to do with the whiskey in his system shoots up his spine when Kylo pulls him forward and stands between his legs. "I had given up on you returning today."

"We repaired our shuttle – and I apologize for not telling you, but our communications were… damaged."

Hux wants to be displeased with the excuse but he can't be, not when Kylo is standing for him, and this definitely isn't an alcohol infused dream. "I'd ask you to explain yourself – but I think it can wait until I read your formal report."

"It's already on your desk. Perhaps I can read it back to you in the morning?" Kylo's hands – uncovered and so, so alive – touch his face and cup his cheeks.

"I'm glad to see that you actually spent the proper time on it – and I already have different plans for you come morning." Hux lets the promise linger in the air for a moment before he slides to his feet.

That he stumbles a little, Kylo pretends not to notice and uses the Force to retrieve the bottle from the floor. "Having a nightcap with the opposition's booze? That's classless, Hux."

"And delicious."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Hux's breath stops just a little as Kylo kisses him – deeply. The taste of his tongue alongside the whiskey makes Hux's head swim, and soon the kiss turns open mouthed, sloppy almost – but Hux doesn't care enough about finesse right now to stop them.

When they can't breathe, Kylo pulls back and gestures towards the door of Hux's quarters.

"I think it'd be wise that we move this inside – wouldn't want the troops to see their esteemed leader necking with Snoke's apprentice, now would we?"

Hux revels in the feeling of Kylo's fingers together with his for a moment before answering. "No, I don't suppose we would."

"Exactly." Kylo stops them again to kiss Hux, opening the door with the force. "But I missed you enough to risk it."

Hux touches Ren's face and yawns. "And now that you're here, I can actually go to sleep."

Kylo is halfway in the door when he realizes what it is that Hux just said. "Wait… were you _waiting up for me?"_

Hux frowns, tries to put his guard up – and fails.

"No, I wasn't."

"But General, _you were._ " The realization makes Kylo smile, and Hux pushes him the rest of the way inside.

Hux isn't going to say out loud that he's right – not even Kylo Ren deserves that sort of smug satisfaction.

"But Hux," he says as he pulls Hux under the covers with him, "I do."

Hux doesn't even manage to get a reply out – he's asleep on Kylo's chest in an instant, and for a while at least, everything has order again.


End file.
